Easy Cannabis Oil Recipe

For those of us who choose to medicate with nature's wonder plant Cannabis, smoking it may not be the most effective, health conscious, or preferred method of consumption. Edibles offer a far more potent alternative. The thought of making your own edibles can seem daunting and a tad complicated. I personally had anxiety about everything from screwing it up and wasting a large amount of Cannabis to worrying that it would make my house smell for days. I also dreaded the length of time I would have to invest in making the oil (some recipes state it is a 24-hour process or longer). But fear not, young Jedi. I am here to guide you through the not-so-scary experience, and to recommend some tips and tricks I found personally helpful during my own Canna-Oil adventures.

Let’s start with a bit of background. Cannabis oil ( Canna-Oil for short) is merely the concentrated, distilled form of the plant most commonly known as marijuana, with all the plant material stripped away via a solvent. THC is released into the oil during the heating process, and the oils with a higher fat content absorb the most THC from the plant. Cannabis oil contains two primary ingredients: the high-inducing THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and cannabidiol (CBD).

Marijuana-infused edibles are typically much stronger than smoked or vaporized cannabis. When you consume marijuana in an ingestible form, its THC is metabolized by the liver, which converts it to 11-hydroxy-THC. This active metabolite is particularly effective in crossing the blood-brain barrier, resulting in a more intense high. Inhaled THC undergoes a different metabolic process because rather than passing through the stomach and then the liver, the THC travels directly to the brain. This is why the effects of smoked or vaporized marijuana come on faster and diminish quickly. The length in associated pain relief is much longer when ingested, and therefore, more efficient in a physical and economic sense, as longer pain relief means less medicating in total.

Double Boiler effect. Remember to burp!

Note: Ingested oil can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to kick in, and the effects can last several hours.

The mason jar method is most efficient because it acts as a gentle double boiler, the oil never burns and in turn reduces your THC. The mason jar method also reduced the smell drastically. This is not to say that there won't be any associated smell...just far less.

Use cheesecloth to sieve plant matter out of oil.

Materials needed

1 Mason Jar with lid

1 Crockpot

2 Cheesecloth

Cookie Sheet

Freezable Storage Container for End Product

Ingredients

1 OZ Marijuana, Roughly Ground

2 Cups Coconut Oil, or preferred oil.

Decarbing: Important first step, that fully activates the THC in your material making it readily psychoactive.
Decarboxylation is simply “a chemical reaction that removes a carboxyl group and releases carbon dioxide (CO2)” [wiki].
Place ground plant matter on cookie sheet bake @ 240° F for 50 minutes.

Pick your Oil . The higher the fat content in your oil, the better it will absorb the cannabinoids of your herb.
I suggest Coconut oil as it is very high in healthy fats, has a mild taste, can be eaten "raw", applied as a moisturizer over body, (I use mine as lip gloss), and is a healthy alternative all in all.

Mix decarbed matter with coconut oil, inside of mason jar.

Fill crock-pot halfway with water. Turn on high until water boils, then turn to Med or low for most of duration, switching back to high and bringing to boil every so often(especially when refilling evaporated water)

Let simmer for 4-6 hours, refilling the evaporated water as needed your oil should never be hot enough to boil. Boiling oil = potency decrease.

Strain plant matter from oil, using cheesecloth tightly stretched over top of mason jar secured with the lid screw. Once most of oil has sieved through, strain cheesecloth via hand. Until all that is left is a clump of damp plant matter.

Finished Product

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Liquid oil right after simmering, dark in colour but still clear enough to see through

Cooled oil, light green in colour.

8. Save plant matter cheesecloth for a makeshift teabag, dipping into hot drink and dissolving the rest of the oil into your drink, Plant matter is basically useless now, but you may bake with it ( immediately) to add a slight extra kick ( and earthy taste) to edible recipe.

9. Store oil in air-tight container in freezer for freshest results. Use oil in recipes as indicated.

This will last in the freezer for roughly 6 months before potency is affected.